


The Batsquatch

by Christmasrose66



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 23:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16294142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Christmasrose66/pseuds/Christmasrose66
Summary: Mulder tries to resist the temptation to investigate a monster





	The Batsquatch

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by Laia Aweburn Phoenix posting a map of North American cryptids on Twitter

It was so difficult to resist the temptation. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, twitching, as if typing in mid-air. He'd just have a quick look, it couldn't hurt, could it? But he'd promised Scully that he wouldn't go on-line today. "The internet is not good for you" he could hear her saying, emphatically. Someone had sent him a poster in the mail. It was a joke, he supposed, or was it? A map of the locations of various monsters from local legends, across the length and breadth of the country. It was just too tempting, a quick Google search, I mean really, the batsquatch? That sounded like a creature that Scully and Doggett had a run-in with, many years ago. Was it still out there, a potential threat to his family?  
His daughter was sleeping peacefully, oblivious to her father's inner struggle with his conscience. He glanced at her, watching as her little chest rose and fell rhythmically, hypnotised by her perfection. She was so small, and delicate, her skin almost translucent. He has counted her tiny fingers and toes, in awe of the little miracle that he and Scully had created. On this occasion, Mulder had been left in charge of the infant, as Scully had a meeting with a former patient of hers at the hospital. He had strict instructions, in triplicate, which covered every eventually that Scully could foresee, and what to do in the event of something unforeseen. He could not afford to mess this up, he would never forgive himself if something happened to their daughter, on his watch. "The batsquatch" he whispered, half to himself, as he reached out and delicately stroked the baby's cheek. Her face crinkled up, and Mulder smiled. She looked so like Scully, it was adorable. "I won't let anything hurt you" Mulder whispered gently, "ever". He didn't know if he could keep that promise, but he would die trying, that's for sure.  
Well, if he couldn't go on-line, he could at the very least, prepare for a potential trip (which he wasn't necessarily taking) to observe and assess the threat from the batsquatch. What would he need? All weather clothing, a good strong pair of boots, some night vision goggles, a map and compass (who knows when the phone or internet reception might cut out). A pile of equipment was accumulating in the centre of the living room, as Mulder hummed softly to himself and his daughter. Might he need some sort of a trap? A large net perhaps? Or, would that be seen as threatening? He'd become so used to encountering danger lately, that he'd almost forgotten his natural impulse to empathise with the so-called "monsters" of this world. What if this creature was simply trying to live in peace and quiet, undisturbed by people, as it had lived throughout the ages? He should approach this like a naturalist, studying wildlife. A scientific fieldtrip, could he "sell" that idea to Scully? But he knew that Scully had decided not to indulge in any fieldtrips involving X-Files, now that they had the baby to consider. "You can't come with me, little one" Mulder addressed his daughter, "and you" Mulder inclined his head towards the skinny dog sleeping at the foot of the crib, "need to protect this home, and bite the legs of anyone who hurts this family". The dog yawned, and made snuffling noises, which Mulder interpreted as agreement. He needed someone to accompany him on the trip (which he wasn't necessarily taking. If only his daughter was older, or .... he hardly dared to picture the lost reality, if William was still alive. It would have been fun, to take his son on a trip to the forest. Of course, he would show his daughter the wonders of the natural world around her, when she was old enough, but here and now, he needed a companion for the batsquatch mission. He packed everything that he would need to carry into a rucksack, and slung it on his back, to test the weight.   
"Wahhh!" little Alice began to cry, and the dog began to howl in sympathetic counterpoint. "Hey, hey" Mulder reached into the crib, gently lifted his daughter out, and held her against his chest. "What's going on? he asked her, "I won't let the batsquatch get you"  
"The what?" the distinctive female voice behind him was obviously Scully, and even though she was standing behind him, Mulder knew that her eyebrows were raised. Mulder turned to face her, "the batsquatch" he said, as if this were a word he used all the time, like dog or tree. Her expression softened, as she took in the sight of Mulder holding his infant daughter. It was a view that tugged at her heartstrings every time. "What the hell is a batsquatch?" she asked.  
" I didn't go on the internet" Mulder was on the defensive, and it was then that Scully cast a glance around their home, taking in the unusual pile of objects in the centre of the room. "I got a poster in the mail" he continued, in full flow now, it was useless to interupt him. "Monsters" he had a glint in his eye "from every corner of the country" a momentary pause, Scully began to gesture towards the pile of objects, "and I noticed the batsquatch" Mulder continued, indicating the poster on the desk, with a slight tilt of his head, since his hands were occupied in holding the baby, "which reminded me of an old case, an X-File from back in the day".  
Scully rolled her eyes, and sighed heavilly. "You and Doggett dealt with it. I think you wrote it up as a human-bat hybrid. This is something else, but there may be similarities, I need to look at the old case files".   
"Mulder, that thing was out for blood" Scully warned, "You don't need to get involved in this" but even as she said it, she knew she was wasting her time. "I can't go with you" she said gently, "and you shouldn't go alone".   
"I'll ask Monica" Mulder said with bad grace.   
"There is someone else you could take with you" Scully replied. She paused, and the still air seemed heavy around them. "I didn't tell you earlier, maybe I should have done, maybe I was selfish" she shivered. "Scully" he wouldn't believe that of her. She looked Mulder straight in the eye "William" she said "You could take William, I mean Jackson". It seemed as if time stood still, Mulder was frozen in position, no sounds, no movement, then suddenly like a rush of air, reality hit him.   
"No" he said "that can't be possible?" he looked to Scully, and he nodded. "It is possible, I can hear his voice, in my head. He wants to come home". Mulder grinned, and shook his head in astonishment. Was he really going to get the chance to take his son on a trip to the forest? Alice was fidgeting in his arms, "Let me take her" Scully said, and he passed their daughter to her. "Scully" he said, and that was all he needed to say.


End file.
